Extensive didactic opportunities are also provided throughout the fellowship. From July through August of the first year, each fellow attends a series of orientation lectures and seminars presented by the faculty to acquaint new trainees with fundamental issues in both clinical practice and research. This series requires two afternoons per week, plus assigned reading. In September these didactic sessions for new residents are replaced by the normal divisional schedule of conferences, which continue throughout the fellowship. Required conferences are scheduled for Monday mornings (Pediatric Allergy Conference) and Wednesday (Research & Clinical Teaching Conference) and Friday afternoons (Allergy and Clinical Immunology Conference), which are protected times with no clinics in operation. The weekly Wednesday Clinical Teaching Conference is devoted exclusively to the training of clinical fellows and includes four rotating formats. The Friday Allergy and Clinical Immunology conference also features presentations and discussions by divisional or visiting faculty on clinical topics in allergy and clinical immunology. In addition, all trainees are encouraged to attend divisional research conferences on Wednesday afternoon. By the middle of the first year, each trainee is expected to present at one of these conferences his or her plans for research activities. Participation in these conferences continues during the second and third year, with annual presentations by fellows on research activities.

In the winter, each first-year trainee’s clinical assignments are cleared so that he or she may attend an Intensive Course in Fundamental Immunology held at the medical school. All second-year fellows are assigned for 1-2 full-time weeks to a Clinical Research Methods course. This course introduces trainees to basic biostatistics and experimental design, issues in clinical investigation, regulations and ethical considerations in clinical research, and the use of computers to assist in project organization and analysis.

Attendance is also encouraged throughout the year at the weekly Immunology Council Seminar where local and outside immunologists discuss ongoing research efforts in the field of basic and clinical immunology. In addition, there are virtually unlimited opportunities for additional coursework and seminars throughout the University, including the Medical School and the School of Public Health. These opportunities range from individual seminars to formal coursework in biostatistics to full master’s degree programs depending on the background and interests of the trainee.

Two Tracks are Offered:

Track 1: Allergy & Clinical Immunology Fellowship (leading to ABAI Board Eligibility)

This program is ordinarily a three year commitment for physicians who have completed training in internal medicine and who desire sub-specialty allergy and immunology clinical training leading to ABAI board eligibility. An intensive supervised research program is included. The Division accepts both trainees who wish to prepare for a career in laboratory research and those who wish to prepare for investigation in the clinical arena. During the first two years, approximately 50% effort is devoted to clinical training and conferences, with the remainder of time assigned to research instruction, closely supervised by one or more faculty members. During the second year, a mutual agreement is reached concerning the advisability of a third year of intensive research, which is always preferred. An optional track permits pursuit of a Masters or PhD in Clinical Investigation for those willing to commit to an additional year of intensive training.

Track 2: Research-Intensive Experience

For those physicians who have completed or are in the midst of clinical training in another specialty (e.g., pulmonary medicine, rheumatology, otolaryngology) and who do not seek formal clinical training in allergy and immunology, this program provides an intensive research experience. The great majority of their time will be focused on laboratory or clinical investigation under the guidance of one or more faculty members. Designed for physicians committed to careers in biomedical research and wishing to pursue this goal with no clinical responsibilities, this track is not intended for those seeking board certification in allergy and immunology.